During the paper-making process, water, refined pulp and other additives are combined to have the finished paper the desired properties. The mix is spread over a mesh screen that forms the paper and lets the water be extracted. The paper then travels through different processes and machines designed to remove the water from the paper. After the paper is dry, the paper is run between drums to give the desired smoothness. This process may be referred to as calendaring the paper. To create finished paper or paperboard, uncoated paper may be coated to achieve better performance in printing, appearance, and/or durability.
Referring to FIG. 1, paper production process 100 involves providing paper or paperboard in a manufacturing process 102, as described above. During the manufacturing process 102 a continuous roll of paper weaves throughout the machinery of the press. Rolls and presses are used to move the paper between the various manufacturing processes 102. The paper product produced by the manufacturing process 102 provides a base sample 104 that is supplied to a coating process 106. The coating process 106 provides the coating to enhance the performance of the final paper product. The base sample 106 is often coated, on one or both sides. The coating is applied in one or more coating stations in the coating process 106. Each coating station applies a coating layer to one or both sides of the paper. The coating stations are commonly either film coaters, blade coaters, spray coaters, or curtain coaters. After the coating process 106, a coated sample 108 is measured by a coating sensor 110 to determine a coating weight profile. The coating sensor 110 feeds the measurements a coating controller 112. The coating controller 112 may activate coating actuators within the coating process 106 to modify the coating process. The result of the adjustments may provide a more uniform coating weight profile.
However, the result of the prior art paper production process 100 only takes into account the final coated sample 108 provided by the coating process 106. In addition, the prior art paper production process only makes modifications to the coating process 106. The coated sample depends not only on the operation of the coating station 106, but also on many base sample properties 104. Consequently, the coated sample 108 may suffer from quality variations due to variations in the base sample 104 qualities, leading to uneven coat weight, poor adhesion or detachment of coating layers, or uneven or bad gloss. In addition, the coating process 106 cannot correct a problem until it has occurred and been unequivocally observed by the coating sensor or in other quality measurements.
Accordingly, an efficient and effective device, method, and system is needed for detecting sample and coating characteristics to control the coating process and/or sample manufacturing process. In addition, a device, method, and system is needed to control the manufacturing process based on the desired coating. A device, method, and system is also needed that controls the coating process based on the qualities of the base sample.